After Zuhr prayers, the discussion in our masjid centered on this issue, by His tawfiq. One brother mentioned that CAIR (the Council for American-Islamic Relations) has pledged $10 million in disaster-relief aid to Katrina's victims.
This is hereby confirmed, on the CAIR website:
http://www.cair-net.org/default.asp?Page=articleView&id=1732&theType=NR
"..indeed, after hardship, there is Ease.." - Al-Qur`an
But is there truly ease, for the victims cramped in the Astrodome now? Or elsewhere in the Bayou? New Orleans? Alabama?
"....arise, and warn them (O Muhammad)" - Al-Qur'an
Muslims must do MORE than throw money around, or make financial pronouncements, though alhamdulillah this is a beautiful gesture. The spirit of sadaqah is not dead in our hearts. I'm almost certain that most of it came from generous Arab families, brothes & sisters.
Let it be said - in times of calamity or other fitan, many Arab stand firm, united and their hearts are more generous than other members of our ummah. This is not to say the rest of us are inferior or genetically incapable of outdoing them in muhsinat. It's just a reminder to the more miserly hearts amongst us.
I do not hear enough hearts beating from Muslims about the victims of Katrina. I suspect modern contexts are making us callous to their sufferings. We MUST rise beyond our emotions, and help those in need.
If anyone knows organized Muslim physician efforts who are, or plan to go into the flooded areas , email me. Or paste comments on here. Fast.
I heard about this at ISNA, I think it's great!
ReplyDeleteAre you still in the subcontinent? Unfortunately I didn't share the air with SHY @ ISNA, he was closer to you, being in Makkah on an invite to clean the Kabah.
But Alhamdolillah, we're close to Zaytuna so get to see him throughout the year.
Hope you're well, insha-Allah!
-B
Here's a link to the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.imana.org/mc/page.do
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/09/20/MNGJVEQIFM1.DTL
ReplyDelete"There were still corpses in the streets when a handful of volunteers from across the country -- including from the Bay Area -- opened the doors of Masjid Bilal mosque, set up some cots and spray-painted the words "First Aid Station" on a sheet of plywood out front.
They had come because they felt they must; doctors, nurses and do-gooders answering an urgent plea by Malique Rahim, a local activist and former Black Panther Party member frustrated by the sight of so many neighbors left to fend for themselves. "